Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has resigned which means Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt will take over as Acting Secretary of the Interior, a position in which he will be legally allowed to serve for 210 days without action by the President.

“While the resignation of Interior Secretary Zinke is important, as he has damaged our public lands and there are 18 investigations currently underway about his unethical actions, the likelihood of Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt filling his shoes, is very concerning,” said Alex Cornell du Houx, President of the Elected Officials to Protect America’s Lands, Marine veteran and former state representative. “As veterans who are lawmakers, one of the freedoms we fight for is to protect access to public lands for all. Whoever replaces Sec. Zinke should uphold the mission and traditions of the Department of the Interior to protect our public Lands for future generations.”